Collaborating with another legendary watchmaker, Chinese brand Behrens have unveiled a new creation at Geneva Watch Days 2025! Inspired by old electric meters, they combine their ingenuity with Vianney Halter’s technical expertise for the new KWH.
Taking on the task of elevating the mixed perception of the Chinese watch industry is no easy feat. On one hand, the nation carries a certain ill repute in the watch world for producing cheap, low-quality knockoffs. However, select players within and around the Chinese mainland have begun to distinguish themselves as serious contenders in the industry. One brand on a rapid rise is Behrens, which has made a name for itself by redefining the haute horlogerie space. Combining the raw aesthetics of a timepiece’s inner workings with ambitious, futuristic design, their approach to watchmaking has firmly established them as a staple of the modern industry. So much so, in fact, that they reached the semi-finals of the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives with their spectacular Kung-Fu line.
As impressive as that watch may be, though, it’s not today’s focus. Alongside their bold designs and inventive craftsmanship, Behrens has also become known for partnerships with other visionary creators. Most notably, their collaborations with Russian mastermind Konstantin Chaykin have helped the brand consistently push the boundaries of contemporary watchmaking. For Geneva Watch Days 2025, they continue this philosophy with yet another legend of the craft, Vianney Halter. Combining Halter’s and Behrens’ unique creative and technical visions, the new Behrens x Vianney Halter KWH marks a significant milestone for the Chinese brand and adds another feather to the cap of the celebrated Swiss master watchmaker.
Sized at 35mm in diameter, 41mm in length, and 10.9mm thick, the new Behrens x Vianney Halter KWH is a distinctive watch, with an aesthetic familiar only to those accustomed to Behrens’ brand of horology. Crafted in either 18k rose or white gold, the weight of the metal underscores the openworked dial — though we’ll get to that shortly. The box crystal rises above the case, enhancing a futuristic silhouette reminiscent of old electricity meters. In fact, electricity is where the KWH derives its name, standing for ‘KiloWattHours.’ Water-resistant to 30m, the quick-release, hand-stitched, double-sided leather straps — available in black/orange or white/prurple — complete a confidently comfortable yet strikingly bold wearing experience.
Given how delightfully sci-fi both Behrens and Vianney Halter can be, it’s unsurprising that the dial is fuelled by both digital and raw industrial nostalgia. Fusing their aesthetic philosophies, the KWH comes in either a Nebula Purple or Rock Gray dial, providing a backdrop for the fantastical openworked display. Encircling the dial is the hour display, driven by Behrens’ patented ruby-bearing micro-chain system. Inspired by the pixel game Snake, a luminous pip, accompanied by six smaller dots, travels around each index, indicated by a small bump in the peripheral bridge.
The lower half of the dial employs Behrens’ axial display system alongside the open escapement. On the left axis, two small cylinders display both power reserve and day/night indicators, while the right axis shows minutes via another cylinder. It’s admittedly a lot to take in — trying to wrap your head around it can feel dizzying, and I confess I’m slowly losing my own sanity the more I stare — but it’s an ingenious, if breathtakingly complex, method of telling time.
While most of the action is visible from the front, flipping the watch over gives a clearer view of what’s really running the show. This is the manual-wind Cal. BM06, co-created by Behrens and Vianney Halter. Comprising an astounding 870 components, the movement still delivers a luxury-standard 4Hz (28,800VpH) beat rate alongside a 72-hour power reserve. It even incorporates a temperature-compensation system to ensure the stability of the micro-chain mechanism — the one driving the hour snake — under all conditions.
If you thought the movement’s complexity ended at the dial, you’d be sorely mistaken. The caseback reveals further complications, including a calendar and moon phase at 12 o’clock, adjustable via integrated quick-set pushers. The mechanics are finished in blackened plates, bridges, and rotor, decorated with circular graining and radial brushing, providing a dramatic contrast to the luminous dial.
My Thoughts
Ever play Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots? I’m assuming you haven’t, but trust me — this is relevant to the watch. The plot and gameplay of the game are largely irrelevant, but one of its most talked-about (and sometimes criticised) features is its near-endless cutscenes. For scale, the game typically takes 19 hours to complete, yet over 40% — around seven and a half hours — is made up entirely of cutscenes. It’s more an interactive movie than a videogame.
So, what does Guns of the Patriots have to do with the Behrens x Vianney Halter KWH? At first glance, some might think Hideo Kojima ‘lost the plot,’ crafting a spectacular story with little substance behind it. But that’s hardly the case, as the gameplay of MGS4 fundamentally delivers on all counts. Similarly, you might think Behrens and Vianney Halter are insane for creating such an extravagantly complex timepiece — but it has been executed with precision, respect, and purposeful craftsmanship. As wildly inventive as it appears, the core functions are perfected without compromise. Its serpentine chain mechanism, playful dial, and refined finishing make it a watch that showcases whimsy and creativity as much as mechanical expertise and excellence.
Limited to just nine pieces per reference, the KWH has reinforced Behrens’ position as a serious contender in independent horology, while introducing Halter’s unique approach to a new wave of enthusiasts worldwide. Daring in both conception and complexity, this collaboration between two different worlds of watchmaking has resulted in the KWH: a new precedent for Chinese horology and one of the standouts of Geneva Watch Days 2025.
References: N/A (Behrens x Vianney Halter KWH – Rock Grey / Nebula Purple)
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 35mm case diameter x 41mm lug-to-lug x 10.0mm thickness
- Case Material: 18k rose / white gold
- Dial: Openworked, Rock Grey / Nebula Purple with rose / white gold accents
- Movement: Manual Wind Cal. BM06 with ‘pixel snake’ chain hours, cylindrical minutes, cylindrical power reserve indicator, cylindrical day/night indicator, calendar & moonphase complications
- Power Reserve: 72h
- Beat Rate: 4Hz (28,800VpH)
- Water Resistance: 30m (3bar)
- Strap: Interchangeable Black/Orange / White/Purple leather strap with 18k rose / white gold buckle